Published 8:52 am, Monday, July 17, 2017

Vanessa Garza, 34, was served with warrants that charged her with 35 counts of credit or debit card abuse and felony theft.

Vanessa Garza, 34, was served with warrants that charged her with 35 counts of credit or debit card abuse and felony theft.

Photo: Webb County Sheriff's Office

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An executive assistant of Tesoro Services, 5201 Tesoro Plaza, filed a police report saying that Garza stole $11,005.70 by using two company credit cards without authorization from the account holder to pay for her bills.

An executive assistant of Tesoro Services, 5201 Tesoro Plaza, filed a police report saying that Garza stole $11,005.70 by using two company credit cards without authorization from the account holder to pay for

An executive assistant of Tesoro Services, 5201 Tesoro Plaza, filed a police report saying that Garza stole $11,005.70 by using two company credit cards without authorization from the account holder to pay for her bills.

An executive assistant of Tesoro Services, 5201 Tesoro Plaza, filed a police report saying that Garza stole $11,005.70 by using two company credit cards without authorization from the account holder to pay for

Jimmy John's revealed customers' credit and debit card information may have been stolen from more than 200 stores nationwide between June 16 and Sept. 5. were affected in the credit card data breach. See how you can best protect your information when shopping in stores and online. less

Jimmy John's revealed customers' credit and debit card information may have been stolen from more than 200 stores nationwide between June 16 and Sept. 5. were affected in the credit card data breach. See how ... more

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Jimmy John's revealed customers' credit and debit card information may have been stolen from more than 200 stores nationwide between June 16 and Sept. 5. were affected in the credit card data breach. See how you can best protect your information when shopping in stores and online. less

Jimmy John's revealed customers' credit and debit card information may have been stolen from more than 200 stores nationwide between June 16 and Sept. 5. were affected in the credit card data breach. See how ... more

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Try to always use a credit card, because they tend to have better protection policies against fraud with zero liabilities.

Try to always use a credit card, because they tend to have better protection policies against fraud with zero liabilities.

. The clutter may get annoying, but it's good to have them to double check purchase amounts and avoid inflated charges.

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Only use your cards with businesses that are familiar to you, and review receipts before signing them.

Only use your cards with businesses that are familiar to you, and review receipts before signing them.

Photo: Igor Zhorov

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Be aware of your surroundings. If you are using your card at a dimly-lit ATM, consider waiting to use another.

Be aware of your surroundings. If you are using your card at a dimly-lit ATM, consider waiting to use another.

Photo: Mark Lennihan

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When shopping online, check for the "s" in the URL - it should read "https://" instead of "http://." The extra "s" means the site uses an encryption to scramble your information, which makes it more difficult to steal. less

When shopping online, check for the "s" in the URL - it should read "https://" instead of "http://." The extra "s" means the site uses an encryption to scramble your information, which makes it more difficult ... more

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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When shopping online and using a log-in and password, make sure your password is unique and strong with a mix of numbers and letters.

When shopping online and using a log-in and password, make sure your password is unique and strong with a mix of numbers and letters.

Photo: Gary Friedman, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

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Try to avoid shopping online from your phone, and make sure to stay away from entering passwords and personal information when utilizing public Wi-Fi.

Try to avoid shopping online from your phone, and make sure to stay away from entering passwords and personal information when utilizing public Wi-Fi.

Photo: Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty Images

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Do not give our your social security number in any shopping circumstance. There is never going to be a scenario where this is necessary.

Do not give our your social security number in any shopping circumstance. There is never going to be a scenario where this is necessary.

Photo: Apostrophe Productions, PRWeb

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Click through the slideshow to learn ten ways to avoid fraud.

Click through the slideshow to learn ten ways to avoid fraud.

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Resolution #1
Don’t be pushed into action –

Just because someone looks or sounds official doesn’t mean they are. Criminals hope we will be frightened into letting down our guard, and that tactic often works. If you receive an unsolicited call or email that threatens legal action, ignore it. The top scam of 2015 was the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) impostor ruse. The IRS and utilities, for example, will never call to demand payment or personal information by telephone or email. The agencies will contact you by mail, and will never threaten to have you arrested or attempt to shake you down for an immediate payment. less

Resolution #1 Don’t be pushed into action –

Just because someone looks or sounds official doesn’t mean they are. Criminals hope we will be frightened into letting down our guard, and that tactic ... more

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Resolution #2
Don’t be greedy –

Many swindles are designed to appeal to our desire to get something for free. These include phony sweepstakes, prizes, gifts and “inheritances.” These dupes commonly involve paying in advance to collect the money. This sort of activity also applies to websites with unrealistically low prices for top-shelf merchandise. less

Resolution #2 Don’t be greedy –

Many swindles are designed to appeal to our desire to get something for free. These include phony sweepstakes, prizes, gifts and “inheritances.” These dupes ... more

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Resolution #3
Take control of your telephone –

A significant portion of criminal consumer activity involves telephone calls. Unfortunately, caller ID can no longer be considered reliable, so unless you recognize the telephone number, the best tactic is to let the call go to voice mail. In some cases, the caller may even have the last four digits of your Social Security Number or some other piece of personal data. That information does not mean the caller is legitimate. less

Resolution #3 Take control of your telephone –

A significant portion of criminal consumer activity involves telephone calls. Unfortunately, caller ID can no longer be considered reliable, so unless you ... more

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Resolution # 4
Be proactive rather than reactive –

Instead of responding to a charitable appeal over the telephone or at the front door, find a charity of your choice and make a donation through its website or by telephone, but only after verifying its contact information. Beware of charities whose names are similar to established organizations, but with a slight variation in spelling. Before making a donation, visit BBB’s charity arm, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. less

Resolution # 4 Be proactive rather than reactive –

Instead of responding to a charitable appeal over the telephone or at the front door, find a charity of your choice and make a donation through its ... more

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Resolution #5
Don’t do business at your front door –

Whether the visitor is selling siding, magazines, yard services, home security, contracting work or any other product or service, ask to see identification and any printed material they can provide. Watch out for signs of high-pressure sales tactics. These include a “One time only” discount or anything else that encourages you to sign a contract or give out payment information on the spot. Don’t allow door-to-door salespeople into your home. Aside from personal risks, the individual might be trying to case your home for a future robbery. less

Resolution #5 Don’t do business at your front door –

Whether the visitor is selling siding, magazines, yard services, home security, contracting work or any other product or service, ask to see ... more

You will find Scam Tracker in the “Get Consumer Help” section at www.bbb.org/connecticut. Its interactive map will show you what sort of schemes are being ... more

Photo: Nathan Lindstrom, Lindstrom Photography LLC

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Resolution # 8
Read the fine print –

Whether you are signing-up for an introductory discount offer or hiring a professional, familiarize yourself with all terms and conditions. Those disclosures offer important information on the length of an offer, how to opt-out of having your information shared with third parties and how much you can expect to pay for services when the discounted period is over. less

Resolution # 8 Read the fine print –

Whether you are signing-up for an introductory discount offer or hiring a professional, familiarize yourself with all terms and conditions. Those disclosures offer ... more

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Resolution #9
If you don’t know the sender, delete the email –

That includes email with authentic-looking logos, attachments and links, any one of which can install dangerous software on your computer without you knowing. less

Resolution #9 If you don’t know the sender, delete the email –

That includes email with authentic-looking logos, attachments and links, any one of which can install dangerous software on your computer ... more

Photo: Getty Images/Christopher Kimmel

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Resolution # 10
Secure your computer –

That means applying software updates, most of which are used to close security loopholes. In addition, create strong passwords that contain at least one upper case letter, a number and a symbol. Most important, it is best not to use the same password for multiple sites. less

Resolution # 10 Secure your computer –

That means applying software updates, most of which are used to close security loopholes. In addition, create strong passwords that contain at least one upper case ... more

That day, an executive assistant of Tesoro Services, 5201 Tesoro Plaza, filed a police report saying that Garza stole $11,005.70 by using two company credit cards without authorization from the account holder to pay for her bills.

At the time, Garza was employed at Tesoro Services as an accounts payable clerk. She had become "unorganized" and failed to provide copies of credit card statements to show what company bills were being paid, according to court documents.